Car-coupling



T. GASKINS. GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

No. 546,144. Patented Sept. 10, 1895;

ZZZ/Z ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

THOMAS GASKINS, OF ARCADIA, FLORIDA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,144, datedSeptember 10, 1 895.

Application filed June 26, 1895. Serial No. 554,112. (No model.)

To, all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS GASKINS, of Arcadia, in the county of De Sotoand State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention is in the nature of an improvement upon the caucoupling forwhich Letters Patent were granted me March 19, 1895, Nos. 536,139 and536,075; and it consists in the improved construction of thelocking-lever and the pin with which it engages, whereby the couplingsare made to operate to lock or conpie the cars when the train isstanding on a curve as well as when in a straight line. In the patentsreferred to-No. 536,075, for instance there are only two distinctpositions for the locking-lever in relation to the pin. One is thelocked position and the other the unlocked position. In my presentinvention I construct the locking-lever and pin so that they will lookat an intermediate position before the knuckle has reached the limit ofits closing movement, so that when standing on a curve, which precludesthe locking-lever from reaching the limit of its closing move ment, thecars may still be coupled with safety and certainty, as hereinafter morefully described.

Figure 1 isa horizontal section of the drawliead, showing the parts intheir locked position when the cars are in a straight line. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the parts locked in an intermediate position when thecars are standing on a curve. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the openposition of the parts. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line A 4 of Fig. 3,and Fig. 5 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail inperspective of the box on the top of draw-head.

For the most part the features of this coupling are constructed andarranged just as they are in my Patent No. 536,075, the locking-1ever 1)and pin 0 only being changed that is to say, the knuckle a a swingsabout its vertical axis D, and its rear end a engages a seat near theaxial center of the locking-lever b, and when the free or swinging endof the lever 11 is held in its forward position by the pin 0 the knuckleis looked and the cars coupled, and when the end of said lever passesfarther to the rear, as is permitted by the lifting of the shoulder s ofthe pin, as in Fig. 4, the knuckle niay open, as in Fig. 3. V

In constructing the locking-lever b in accordance with my presentinvention I form it with a curved segmental end b, in which is a notch(2 having its rear side inclined, and the shoulder s of thevertically-adjustable pin is made inclined to correspond with thisnotch. Now when the cars are coupled on a straight line, as in Fig. 1,the shoulder of the pin occupies a position behind the rear side of thecurved segment Z). When the cars are coupled on a curve and the knucklecannot go to its full movement, as in Fig. 2, the inclined shoulders ofthe pin drops in the notch b of the curved segment and locks the lever,and when the knuckle is open, as in Fig. 3,.the pin 0 is lifted, so thatits shoulder rests upon the forward part of the curved segment.

For operating the pin 0 a lever A is fulcrumed to it and has its rearend connected by a chain With mechanism lifting it, while the forwardend A of the'lever is made with a hook-shaped neck and rests in aslot non one edge of the box N on the top of the draw-head. This constructionand arrangement of parts give a greater leverage in working the pin.

The box N is merely a rectangular flange, as seen in Fig. 5, formed onthe top of the draw-bar and inclosing the lever A on three sides, so asto house and protect it against abrasion and breakage, and the notch nin the side of said box forms the fulcrum for said lever and holds italways in proper position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v l. A car coupling comprising a knuckle, alocking lever, a pin holding the locking lever to position, said lockinglever having an intermediate locking position between its normal lockingposition and-its open position,substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. A car coupling having a knuckle, a locking lever, and a pin engagingwith the locking lever, said locking lever being formed with a segmentalhead having an intermediate notch between its front" and rear sides forengage ment with the pin to couple the cars when standing on a curvesubstantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The locking lever I) having segmental ICC ing one end bent to form acurved neck adapted to bear on the inclosing box, and the [0 other endprovided with means for operating it substantially as shown anddescribed.

THOMAS GASKINS. 'Witnesses:

ALICE EARNEST, WILLIAM E. DANIEL.

